1. Note Values and Simple Rhythms
The Foundation for Reading Music

2. The Definition of Music
Sound Silence Time

3. Rhythm
Rhythm is the basic element of western music. Lets look at the way we read and write rhythms.

4. The Basic Notes
These are the basic markings that we use to represent sound and silence. Notes represent sound and Rests represent silence.

5. The Basic Notes
These notes and rests get the following number beats in 4/4 time.
(We’ll learn about time signature later)
A whole note/rest = 4 beats
A half note/rest = 2 beats
A quarter note/rest = 1 beat
An eighth note/rest = ½ beat
A sixteenth note/rest = ¼ beat

6. The Basic Notes
Let’s try to clap and count some simple rhythms together and by ourselves to help us understand the concept of rhythm
Quarter Notes
Count Aloud!

7. The Basic Notes Half Notes Whole Notes Count Aloud! 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Whole Notes
Count Aloud!

8. The Basic Notes Count Aloud! 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Count Aloud!